The thieves, who had experienced a temporary panic at the many arrests which had successively fallen, with unexpected vengeance, on many of their party, were not long in re-appearing more numerous and more audacious than ever. Amongst their number were several fugitive galley-slaves, who, having perfected in the Bagnes a very dangerous sort of trade and ready invention, had come to exercise it in Paris, where they soon rendered themselves dreaded by all parties. The police, exasperated at their boldness, resolved upon putting an end to their career. I was accordingly commanded to seek them out; and further orders were given to me, to arrange a plan of action with the peace-officers, by which they might be at hand whenever I deemed it likely they could effect the capture of any of these ruffians. It may be easily guessed how difficult my task must be: however, I lost no time in visiting every place of ill fame, both in the metropolis and its environs. In a very few days I had gained the knowledge of all the dens of vice where I might be likely to meet with these wretches. The barrier de la Courtille, those of the Combat and de Menilmontant, were the places of most favourite resort; they were, in a manner, their head-quarters; and woe to the agent who had shown himself there, no matter for what reason; he would assuredly have had his brains beaten out. The gendarmes were equally in dread of this well-known and formidable association, and carefully abstained from approaching it. For my own part, I felt less timidity, and ventured without hesitation into the midst of this herd of miserable
